The Kajun Kettle food manufacturer won the group's Small Business award. The 32-year-old company had 34 employees in 2013 and enjoyed 20 percent sales growth, said an announcement from JEDCO. Kajun Kettle is expanding to new markets in the South and won praise from JEDCO for contributing more than $1.8 million to local charities.

JEDCO gave its inaugural Innovator of the Year Award to Billy Bosch, founder of Be Well Nutrition, which makes the ICONIC health drink. The group gave a nod to other honors that Bosch and Be Well have been accumulating, including winning the JEDCO-sponsored Cordina Challenge business pitch competition focused on Jefferson Parish commerce during New Orleans Entrepreneur Week in March. The company now is adding flavors to its product lineup.

Yenni won the Chairman's Champion Award from JEDCO board Chairman Stan Salathe. The group cited the creation of the Kenner 2030 Strategic Plan for a Prosperous Future, the securing of a Louisiana "Cultural District" designation for Rivertown, attracting a new state Office of Motor Vehicles office and luring the Coconut Beach volleyball complex.

The Jefferson Parish Drainage Department and its director Mitch Theriot, won the JEDCO Business Retention and Expansion Award for promptly addressing a concern by a metal fabrication company about erosion of a drainage ditch threatening the company's property. "This is one of many situations where the Drainage Department responded with a sense of urgency and professionalism," said the JEDCO announcement.